Archive for March, 2011

 

This month it may sound like I want to back up a bit, to talk a little about the software that we use to create and manage the membership itself, but…

Really, I’m not.

From time-to-time, membership software is a good topic to revisit.

It doesn’t matter if you purchased your software from us, or somebody else, what I want to get across to you, is pretty standard and universal to all memberships.

It should also be universal to any software platform in general that you use. So, I hope you’ll find it helpful no matter what framework your membership is built on.

In this month’s post, we will describe the potential you already have sitting under your fingertips, and may not even realize.

Even if you have been using a specific software to manage your membership for a while, and feel like you know it like the back of your hand, there is a strong chance that the company providing your software has updated their platform, to stay competitive, address the latest trends and conditions. Or simply to go above and beyond, gratuitously showing off, what their programmers can accomplish, like we do! J

Some people subscribe to the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” mantra, and to-a-point, that is good advice. However, this attitude provides little wiggle room for the innovation that possibly your competitors are providing and using to lure away customers from your fold.

I know we have said more than once that decisions about making changes to your membership should be focused on input that you receive from your current customers or exit interviews, (although some exit interviews should be taken with a grain of salt, due to freeloaders making up reasons to come in, grab value and then quit.)

However by it’s nature, simply responding to current and past customer’s feedback isn’t the forward thinking that provides the groundbreaking incentives that helps you outpace your competition.

You still need to be careful and never change for “change’s sake”.  Every change that you do institute should be phased-in gradually (if at all possible). You always want to keep your current clientele in the loop, and make sure they never feel as though new features have been “sprung upon them”.

That said; let’s discuss some of the features that you may already possess in the software that manages your membership site, or those that may have been recently added or updated.

This will give you a better sense of the power you possess and the potential opportunities you can leverage.

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I’m usually a total fan of most of American culture, however these Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans is an adventure I’d rather pass up. 

I’ve watched the atmosphere on Bourbon St. today on the telly, and even though I’d like to consider myself as a “fun guy” I rather don’t understand the pull of standing knee deep in second hand  liqueur soaked refuse, or getting my wallet nicked while cheap beads with sharp plastic flashing are being whipped at me.

I think I’d rather take my chances smashed against a fence by football hooligans, at least they will not be wearing those creepy and unsettling masks and disguises.         
Which brings me to this month’s topic: Unmasking.

Yes, we are going to discuss unmasking the Guru!

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